education

Higher Ed: “We’re Not Machines” – Engaging Your Heart And Your Head In Learning

When strong feelings bubble up, your heart might win out over your head in deciding what happens next. But at times, a more thoughtful approach might prove ultimately more effective. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss the tug-of-war between feeling and thinking.

Ed says he thinks higher education can play a role in teaching people how to navigate and process strong feelings so that those feelings can inform – but not derail – learning and major decision making.

“I think that especially on a college campus…it’s really important to allow people space for both that emotional reaction or that emotional response,” says Ed. “And then to encourage them to process and have something else come out of it.”

Ed is quick to clarify that feelings should not be shortchanged or discounted in learning and decision making. He says they actually play a vital role. But he emphasizes the importance of balancing those feelings with mindfulness and awareness.

“Our feelings and our emotions will generate all sorts of intuition; all sorts of creativity; all sorts of new insights; all sorts of new ideas. And then we can play off of them,” says Ed. “But the playing off them, and then what comes next, is all about when we start to think through them.”

What happens if that emotional response is not followed by thoughtful reflection?

“It’s like a car being stuck in the mud,” says Ed. “The wheels are just spinning and spinning and spinning, spewing up mud, but it’s not moving anywhere.”

Listen to the full episode to hear more about how to keep those wheels from just spinning in the mud without making progress, and to get the solution to last episode’s football puzzler (muddy field not required!).

This episode was recorded on Aug. 7, 2019.

After this episode was recorded, Dr. Ed Burger announced that he is leaving Southwestern University in January 2020 to become president and chief executive officer of St. David’s Foundation.

Texas Standard: September 25, 2019

Impeachment and the Tex factor: how might the politics of the Lone Star State play into a renewed push for charges against the president? It is analogous to the bringing of an indict by a grand jury. And now, the U.S. House speaker has given the green light to pursue impeachment. What is Texas’ role in all this? We’ll take a closer look. Also, a new plan to get food to rural kids during those summer months they’re out of school. Plus, a Politifact check of a claim regarding Beto O’Rourke’s promise to take away AR-15s. All that and then some today on the Texas Standard:

Higher Ed: Want To Prevent Students From Dropping Out? Provide More Support, Realistic Expectations

Fewer college students than you might think make it from Freshman orientation all the way to graduation. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss why students drop out, and what colleges and universities can do to help them stay in.

David Kirp’s book “The College Dropout Scandal” (excerpted in The Chronicle of Higher Education) is packed with statistics about college attendance. One data point from the book really stands out: over four in ten college freshman will not graduate with a degree within six years.

As Ed points out, some of those reasons are practical or situational, such as an illness in the family or a change in family geography or status.

But there are other reasons more rooted in the institutions than in the students.

Ed says universities who make special efforts to recuit groups of students such as first generation college students or international students also need to then provide those students with the necessary support.

“Once a student arrives, there are instutions whose attitude is ‘we took that student… and now we’re done,'” says Ed, “instead of thinking about ‘ok, how do we now map a way for that student not just to graduate… but to flourish.'”

Ed believes that support – for any student – needs to include personal connections because “the moment it becomes less personal, it’s easier to find a way out.”

Ed believes higher education as a whole should also examine the culture around expectations of what is “normal” and achievable in the standard four year time frame. He says acceptance and flexibility in that regard might help more students stick with school.

“If someone needs, for whatever reason, a little more time to finish, they shouldn’t think anything except ‘this is the time that it takes me,” says Ed. “This idea that four years is success- is really nonsense.”

Listen to the entire episode for further discussion about helping students stay in school. The puzzler takes to the gridiron this week, but no special knowledge of football is needed to figure this one out.

This episode was recorded on Aug. 7, 2019.

After this episode was recorded, Dr. Ed Burger announced that he is leaving Southwestern University in Jan. 2020 to become President and Chief Executive Officer of St. David’s Foundation.

Texas Standard: September 20, 2019

At least two dead, nearly 4 feet of rain and some parts of southeast Texas calling it worse than Hurricane Harvey. Our own Michael Marks joins us with the latest on tropical storm Imelda’s toll in Texas. Also, you’ve heard the phrase ‘it takes a village’, but to go to Mars? Why SpaceX is offering to buy an entire south Texas community. And Houston says Howdy Modi as the Indian Prime Minister makes Texas a centerpiece of his U.S. visit. Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and more today on the Texas Standard:

Higher Ed: For Some Teachers “It’s Not A Matter Of Being Nice But Setting Great Expectations”

Just about everybody can recall an influential teacher who nurtured and inspired them. But not all great teachers are “warm and fuzzy.” In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore dealing with fantastic teachers who have challenging personalities.

Ed recalls a wonderful Philosophy teacher he had in college whose lectures Ed describes as “utterly fascinating” but whose personality he says was kind of “off-putting.”

But that naturally raises the question: Can a good teacher have, well, a bad personality?

Ed encourages students to steer clear of that simple dichotomy and instead examine potential reasons for behavior that may appear less than nurturing.

“He had incredibly high standards so that might have been kind of like the not-friendly part,” recalls Ed. “It’s not a matter of being nice, but it’s a matter of setting great expectations.”

Ed says society now desperately needs people to treat each with kindness, politeness and respect, especially when they disagree. But he believes sometimes teachers need to use different tools to motivate a group of students.

“There is something to be said for that kind of tough love, so it’s not meanness but it’s tough love,” Ed believes. “You want the person to be more independent. You want that person to reach further than they thought they could.”

Listen to the entire episode to hear why Ed also believes that, at least sometimes, that teacher “tough love” might be more of an act than the teacher’s true personality. Also listen on for the solution to last week’s Roman numerals puzzler (don’t worry – no tough love if you didn’t get it!).

This episode was recorded on Aug. 7, 2019.

After this episode was recorded, Dr. Ed Burger announced that he is leaving Southwestern University in Jan. 2020 to become President and Chief Executive Officer of St. David’s Foundation.

Higher Ed: Surviving And Succeeding During Freshman Year In College (Or Through Any Big Life Change)

First-year college student students often encounter tougher classes in a new environment without the familiar supports of home. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore strategies for staying on course when so much is changing.

“You’re going to be homesick. You’re going to be miserable. You’re going to be alone…. You’re going to feel like there’s no one on the planet that gets you.”

That’s how Ed describes those first few days or weeks or months of freshman year in college. While it may not be quite that extreme for everyone, heading off to college is a significant transition. Ed believes successfully navigating those changes starts with acknowledging them.

“We are fragile creatures….we are not accustomed to change,” says Ed, ” and I think that our basic modus operandi is we like things to be the same. So, any kind of dramatic change will cause angst and anxiety.”

Ed says being open to new connections and experiences can ease some of that angst and anxiety.

“You will make new relationships and you will make new friendships,” says Ed. ” And they might not look the same as your old friends and your old friendships. Be open to the fact that you might be drawn to someone who you might not have been drawn to in high school.”

Ed also suggests exercising some restraint in getting involved with multiple activities right away.

“There’s a temptation to join everything,” Ed warns. “So, [be] mindful of your time and [make] sure you have down time.”

Listen to the entire episode to hear more of Ed’s suggestions for navigating the major changes that come along with the first year of college (or any major change, really) including what he considers his most important advice for all students of every grade level.

No change with the puzzler; it’s back and ready to challenge with a Roman numeral riddle.

This episode was recorded on Aug. 7, 2019.

Note: After this episode was recorded, Dr. Ed Burger announced that he is leaving Southwestern University in Jan. 2020 to become President and Chief Executive Officer of St. David’s Foundation.

Texas Standard: September 6, 2019

The Governor promised action, now 8 executive orders aimed at reducing gun violence. But do they go far enough? We’ll take a closer look. Also, money for a border wall? Where’s it coming from? In part, from military projects in Texas. Also a former state musician with a new release: musical, yet this one’s more a treat for the eyes. Plus the week in Texas politics and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 4, 2019

How well do you think democracy is working in America? Texans weigh in and talk about about what poses the biggest threat to democracy. We’ll have details from the just released annual survey of political attitudes in the Lone Star State, the Texas Lyceum Poll. Also, what we’re learning about how the Permian Basin shooter obtained his weapon and how that’s putting Texas lawmakers in a politically precarious position. Plus is the U.S. not only the top oil and gas producer but tops in cutting emissions, too? A Politifact check and more when today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 28, 2019

As fall approaches the political season heats up: and a shift in the role of Texas in one of the most consequential election seasons in modern memory. Coming up a conversation with Gromer Jeffers, political writer for the Dallas Morning News, on why the Texas factor in the 2020 election year goes way beyond the presidential race. Also the homeless crisis in San Francisco: most of those homeless are Texans, says California’s governor. Politifact takes a closer look. And an especially wooly war for survival in the Trans Pecos. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 27, 2019

Release the tape: that demand from Texas House Republicans as a scandal involving House Speaker Dennis Bonnen appears to enter a new phase, we’ll have details. Also, they’ve been described as prison camps for kids: just how bad are the facilities holding unaccompanied minors crossing the border without documentation? A reporter gets a rare inside look. Plus, how some residents of the hill country are trying to keep developers at bay… by buying the hill. And business bankruptcies in Texas fall, but experts warn its the calm before the storm. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Best of “Higher Ed:” The Biases We Bring To Information And Learning (They’re Complicated)

This episode was originally posted on Jan. 13, 2019.

Many external factors can impact the quality and effectiveness of a learning experience: the teacher; the other students in a class; the school’s resources; even the student’s surroundings and home. But what about the internal factors? In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss the biases learners themselves bring to the information and process.

This episode was inspired by an experience Ed had in the classroom not too long ago. He had given the students a quote with some pretty declarative and forceful language and asked the students to discuss it and try to figure out who said it. As the students puzzled through who the speaker might be, Ed noticed something interesting.

He had given them a quote from Helen Keller, and Ed describes it as a “very strong quote, it was a very forceful quote; it was a quote that was about positivity, but it was strong…..While the conversation was going on, they [the students] themselves gave a gender to the individual,” says Ed. “My students kept saying ‘well, he meant this and he meant that.'”

Ed says gender was not the only metric students used to process and evaluate the quote.

“People thought this must be coming from an individual who is not a force of good in their mind’s eye,” says Ed, referring to the strong language of the quote, “and so therefore said ‘I don’t like the quote that much.’ The moment that some of them discovered that Helen Keller said this, then all of a sudden they looked at it again and said ‘ Oh, well, now I actually get it and I like it.'”

Bias based on perceptions of gender or authorship are just some of what learners bring to the table in and outside of the classroom. Listen to the full episode to hear more about bias and context and Ed’s provocative question “Is it possible that we can find interesting or good elements in people that maybe we don’t completely agree with, and how does that complicate the discussion or the conversation?”

It is also time for the solution to a puzzler about slicing and dicing. Don’t worry – it’s a piece of cake!

This episode was recorded on Dec. 4, 2018.

Texas Standard: August 22, 2019

Students just now returning to school, and report cards already? A-F grades go out statewide rating public schools, but are they fair? We’ll explore. As schools reopen, so do sign ups for sports, and something new in Texas: an effort to track related concussions across the Lone Star State. Also, is Texas an ATM for Democratic politicians? An AP reporter following the money spots another sign of a profound shift in Texas politics in the run up to 2020. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 21, 2019

A major rule change for migrant families in detention just announced which some say could mean families held in detention indefinitely. We’ll have details. Other stories were tracking, a new spring in the step of Texas Democrats. A closer look at a possible shift in the political psychology of the Lone Star State. Also, water borne toxins blamed for the deaths of 4 dogs in the Austin area, but the same algae blooms linked to those deaths can be found across Texas. Practical tips on keeping pets safe and cool around the water. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Back To School Supplies

It’s that time of the year — students are heading back to class and so is their stuff. That’s the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Best of “Higher Ed:” The Well-Read Grown-Up

This episode was originally posted on Nov. 18, 2018.

In school, our reading choices are mostly dictated by what is assigned for classes or from reading lists. But once we are out of school, the decisions are up to us. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss the joys and impacts of lifelong reading.

Ed believes that there are a couple of keys to staying well read beyond our school years.

One: expand the canon of what is considered “must reads” in school and beyond.

“Those canons traditionally are Western, usually written by white dead men,” says Ed. “What about the voices of individuals who are out there, in history and beyond, who were creative beings, or even not, but just having their story told….And so now, the question is, how do we find a balance where we can get a diversity of voices and perspectives?”

Two: read books that will push us in reading and in other arenas.

“Reading can transport you to a world where you might not be comfortable but you can actually find your way,” Ed believes. “That’s really the exciting world of ideas which can be reflected through reading.” Ed says exploring new ideas in our reading can lead us to exploring new ideas in other aspects of our lives.

What are on Ed’s and Jennifer’s bookshelves? Ed says he prefers non-fiction and likes reading about the art of comedy. But he also was completely mesmerized by the “Harry Potter”series. Jennifer also favors non-fiction but cites “The Thorn Birds” and “The World According to Garp” as favorite reads from the past.

What is the one classic series that Jennifer has never touched? And what is the one book that Ed suggests everyone read?

Listen to the full episode to find out, and to get the answers to the riddles about veggies and witches!

This episode was recorded on Oct. 30, 2018.

Best of “Higher Ed:” Why The College Major May Matter Less Than We’ve Always Thought

This episode was originally published on Oct. 12, 2018.

Choosing a major is a rite of passage for higher education students, and it can feel like a – dare we say it –major decision with lifelong implications. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss what could – and sometimes should –go into choosing a major plan of study.

Sometime in a student’s higher education career, a decision has to be made about a major, that set of courses a student chooses to study a subject more deeply. The decision can feel like a significant, irrevocable one that can impact the rest of their lives. But Ed suggests dialing back the stress to make that one, perfect decision.

“The major itself is not as important as the experience and the growth opportunities that come from that major,” he says. “That’s why you hear so many people, especially in the liberal arts and science, talk about how it doesn’t even matter what your major is. As long as you’re involved and interested and engaged, you will have that growth experience that will allow you to become better and to figure out the next thing you do, and that leads you to the next thing … because you’re constantly going toward your passion.”

Ed also believes timelines that require students to declare a major at a specific point in time during their college career can discourage academic exploration and excitement about discovering new fields of interest.

“I’d like to see people declaring majors when they really are intellectually fired up about the thing, rather than it’s time to do it.”

Listen to the full episode for more about the process of academic discovery that can lead to declaring a major. It is also time for the solution to the puzzler about escaping a room while avoiding scorching heat and a fire-breathing dragon. Think it can’t be done? Wait til you hear the oh so simple solution!

This episode was recorded on Sept. 28, 2018.

Best of “Higher Ed:” Effective Correction

This episode was originally posted on Sept. 30, 2018.

Most people do not necessarily enjoy being told when they are wrong. The formal education experience can at times seem like it is full of those moments – between corrections, grades, comments and evaluations. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss ways to correct without rejecting.

Those big, red X’s splashed all over a Math test or those comments scribbled in the margins of papers can lead students to focus on the fact that they got an answer wrong, instead of the fact that they have a learning opportunity to master some material. And nasty comments from a student on a teacher or course evaluation may not motivate teachers to do better.

“If someone just says too much work, or, you know, Burger was so mean I can’t stand him, that’s not particularly helpful” says Ed referring to student evaluations of teachers. ” And even if that’s followed by an actual interesting idea, I might dismiss it a little bit because I see the context.”

So how can students and teachers – and anybody, really – effectively convey ideas for improvements?

Ed has some ideas:

Keep it about the question, paper, assignment, or class at hand. Don’t elevate the criticism into something of broader scope.
Keep the situation focused on thoughtful – rather than purely emotion – inputs and responses.
Focus on what can be learned from the situation.

Listen to the full episode for more thoughts about both giving and receiving constructive corrections and to hear the solution to the puzzler about the digits of our left hand. Still trying to multiply the number of left hand digits of everyone on the planet? Turns out there is a quick and easy way to figure it out.

This episode was recorded on Aug. 9, 2018.

Best of “Higher Ed:” How Much Is Too Much On A College Application?

This episode was originally published on Sept. 23, 2018.

High school seniors have something extra added to their workload in the fall semester. Those who are going on to college have to navigate the college application process. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton dissect that annual dash to compile transcripts, test scores, essays and teacher recommendations.

In an effort to set themselves apart from other applicants, students may be tempted to show breadth and depth in everything they have tackled in high school.

“I think if you’re just vomiting out a long list of activities and successes and awards and things, I think that then gets blurred over,” says Ed. ” I think the thing that an individual should be doing here is telling a story. They should be telling a story about their recent history – the highs and the lows and how they see themselves as having changed through their education up to that point.”

Ed says he believes that story should also include students’ assertions about why they think they are a good fit for the schools where they apply. He encourages specificity about what has attracted a student to a particular institution ( think “the soft serve ice cream in the dining hall”!) rather than generic platitudes about a school.

Listen to the full episode for more suggestions about navigating the college application process (are interviews still recommended or not?) as well as the new puzzler. Lefties unite! This puzzler is all about the digits on our left hand.

This episode was recorded on Aug. 9, 2018.

Texas Standard: July 16, 2019

Not another presidential tweet or campaign jab, but a change in the federal register that could lead to a profound change at the southern border. The new rules could effectively stop asylum claims at the border with Mexico, and it is certain to get a challenge in court. We’ll take a closer look. Also, teachers were promised pay raises. But who gets what, and why? Some disappointed by the calculus are promising political payback. And a slowdown in oil country, layoffs coming? Quite the opposite. Those stories and then some today on the Texas Standard:

Higher Ed: Yes, Extra Credit Can Enhance Learning – But Don’t Overestimate Its Value

Academia is divided over the wisdom of offering students extra credit on tests or projects. In this episode of the KUT podcast “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss the utility and merit of offering extra points for extra effort.

Ed says for the most part he supports extra credit and has used it in his own teaching as long as it provides a meaningful learning experience.

“I have been guilty of offering extra credit for all sorts of things, ” admits Ed, “including bribing students to go to lectures or to events that I think would enhance their own education or would amplify the work they are doing in the class, all the way down to just giving questions.”

Ed believes extra credit allows for the exploration and assessment of deeper levels of learning.

“There’s always more. You never understand everything. You never understand it at 100 percent,” says Ed. “So the truth is, there is always a deeper level. So why not offer a window into that deeper level?”

Some critics say offering extra credit places more emphasis on the grade rather than on that learning experience. Ed believes that emphasis already exists with or without extra credit.

“We do that as a culture and a nation and a society and this is just a reality,” says Ed. “Extra credit is not doing that.”

Listen to the full episode (sorry, no extra credit for making it to the end) to hear how extra credit in school relates to extra credit in life outside the classroom. But you will be rewarded with the solution to last episode’s puzzler about the man who switched off a light and caused a catastrophe.

This episode was recorded on April 23, 2019.